Rochester Rhinos' defense improving

Not much has gone right for the Rhinos this season, but for the first time this season they've posted back-to-back shutouts and even though Rochester's record is an unsightly 3-8-10, its seven shutouts are tied for the most in the USL PRO League. Its defense has been better lately.

"It's a positive that we've been headed in the right direction, but it at the same time we kind of wished it happened a little earlier," defender and team captain Troy Roberts said.

Indeed, the Rhinos' playoff chances are in peril because of their inability to win. They need victories in each of their last five matches, starting with Sunday's 4:05 p.m. home game against winless Antigua (0-22), and hope the teams ahead of them collapse. Rochester is tied for 11th place, three spots and 11 points out of the eighth and final playoff position held by Tampa (9-7-3, 30 points). Tampa's 2-1 comeback win over Wilmington on Friday was a big blow to Rochester, ninth-place Pittsburgh (6-6-7, 25 points) and 10th place Wilmington (6-11-4, 21 points).

Rochester and Antigua also played on June 21 and the Rhinos needed two goals in the final 13 minutes to avoid becoming the only team to lose to Antigua, which already this week has lost at FC Dallas Reserves on Tuesday and at Dayton on Friday each by a 3-1 score. It has been outscored 78-10.

The Rhinos gave up 17 goals and had two shutouts in their 1-6-1 start under former coach Jesse Myers. That was an alarming start, especially since Rochester returned USL PRO Goalkeeper of the Year Kristian Nicht, Defender of the Year Roberts and a couple other defenders, including veteran player/coach Georgios Kyriazis.

Since Pat Ercoli replaced Myers, Rochester has allowed only 14 goals and has shut out five foes in going 2-2-9. "Pat really instilled a mentality and basically said defense wins championships," Roberts said. "He put more of a premium on the total team defense and our shape.

But Rochester is in horrible shape in terms of making the playoffs. It likely will miss the postseason for the first time in its 18 seasons.